Olive Flounder By-Product Prozyme2000P Hydrolysate Ameliorates Age-Related Kidney Decline by Inhibiting Ferroptosis.

This study explores olive flounder by-product Prozyme2000P (OFBP) hydrolysate as a potential treatment for age-related kidney decline. Ferroptosis, a form of cell death linked to iron overload and oxidative stress, is increasingly implicated in aging kidneys. We investigated whether OFBP could inhibit ferroptosis and improve kidney health. Using TCMK-1 cells, we found that OFBP treatment protected cells from ferroptosis induced by sodium iodate (SI). OFBP also preserved the mitochondria health and influenced molecules involved in ferroptosis regulation. In aging mice, oral administration of OFBP significantly improved kidney health markers. Microscopic examination revealed reduced thickening and scarring in the kidney's filtering units, a hallmark of aging. These findings suggest that OFBP hydrolysate may be a promising therapeutic candidate for age-related kidney decline. By inhibiting ferroptosis, OFBP treatment appears to improve both cellular and structural markers of kidney health. Further research is needed to understand how OFBP works fully and test its effectiveness in more complex models.

Rotating Gate-Driven Solution-Processed Triboelectric Transistors.

Among various energy harvesting technologies, triboelectricity is an epoch-making discovery that can convert energy loss caused by the mechanical vibration or friction of parts into energy gain. As human convenience has emerged as an important future value, wireless devices have attracted widespread attention; thus, it is essential to extend the duration and lifespan of batteries through energy harvesting or the application of self-powered equipment. Here, we report a transistor, in which the gate rotates and rubs against the dielectric and utilizes the triboelectricity generated rather than the switching voltage of the transistor. The device is a triboelectric transistor with a simple structure and is manufactured using a simple process. Compared to that at the stationary state, the output current of the triboelectric transistor increased by 207.66 times at the maximum rotation velocity. The approach reported in this paper could be an innovative method to enable a transistor to harness its own power while converting energy loss in any rotating object into harvested energy.

Disease Modeling of Rare Neurological Disorders in Zebrafish.

Rare diseases are those which affect a small number of people compared to the general population. However, many patients with a rare disease remain undiagnosed, and a large majority of rare diseases still have no form of viable treatment. Approximately 40% of rare diseases include neurologic and neurodevelopmental disorders. In order to understand the characteristics of rare neurological disorders and identify causative genes, various model organisms have been utilized extensively. In this review, the characteristics of model organisms, such as roundworms, fruit flies, and zebrafish, are examined, with an emphasis on zebrafish disease modeling in rare neurological disorders.

Noninvasive Flow Monitoring in Simple Flow Phantom Using Resistive Strain Sensors.

In this paper, we introduce a monitoring method for flow expansion and contraction in a simple flow phantom based on electrical resistance changes in an epidermal strain sensor attached to the phantom. The flow phantom was fabricated to have a nonflat surface and small modulus that are analogous to human skin. The epidermal sensors made of polydopamine and polyvinyl alcohol show sufficient linearity (R = 0.9969), reproducibility, and self-adhesion properties, as well as high sensitivity to small modulus measurements (<1% tensile strain). Pulsatile flow monitoring experiments were performed by placing the epidermal sensor on the flow phantom and measuring the relative changes in resistance by the heartbeat. Experiments were conducted for three types of vessel diameters (1.5, 2, and 3 mm). In each of the experiments, the vessels were divided into Top, Middle, and Bottom positions. Experiments for each position show that the relative changes in resistance increase proportionally with the diameter of the vessel. The vessels located close to the epidermal layer have greater relative electrical changes. The results were analyzed using the Bernoulli equation and hoop stress formula. This study demonstrates the feasibility of a noninvasive flow monitoring method using a novel resistive strain sensor.

Automatic Quantification of Anterior Lamina Cribrosa Structures in Optical Coherence Tomography Using a Two-Stage CNN Framework.

In this study, we propose a new intelligent system to automatically quantify the morphological parameters of the lamina cribrosa (LC) of the optical coherence tomography (OCT), including depth, curve depth, and curve index from OCT images. The proposed system consisted of a two-stage deep learning (DL) model, which was composed of the detection and the segmentation models as well as a quantification process with a post-processing scheme. The models were used to solve the class imbalance problem and obtain Bruch's membrane opening (BMO) as well as anterior LC information. The detection model was implemented by using YOLOv3 to acquire the BMO and LC position information. The Attention U-Net segmentation model is used to compute accurate locations of the BMO and LC curve information. In addition, post-processing is applied using polynomial regression to attain the anterior LC curve boundary information. Finally, the numerical values of morphological parameters are quantified from BMO and LC curve information using an image processing algorithm. The average precision values in the detection performances of BMO and LC information were 99.92% and 99.18%, respectively, which is very accurate. A highly correlated performance of R2 = 0.96 between the predicted and ground-truth values was obtained, which was very close to 1 and satisfied the quantification results. The proposed system was performed accurately by fully automatic quantification of BMO and LC morphological parameters using a DL model.

Quantification of Blood Flow Velocity in the Human Conjunctival Microvessels Using Deep Learning-Based Stabilization Algorithm.

The quantification of blood flow velocity in the human conjunctiva is clinically essential for assessing microvascular hemodynamics. Since the conjunctival microvessel is imaged in several seconds, eye motion during image acquisition causes motion artifacts limiting the accuracy of image segmentation performance and measurement of the blood flow velocity. In this paper, we introduce a novel customized optical imaging system for human conjunctiva with deep learning-based segmentation and motion correction. The image segmentation process is performed by the Attention-UNet structure to achieve high-performance segmentation results in conjunctiva images with motion blur. Motion correction processes with two steps-registration and template matching-are used to correct for large displacements and fine movements. The image displacement values decrease to 4-7 µm during registration (first step) and less than 1 µm during template matching (second step). With the corrected images, the blood flow velocity is calculated for selected vessels considering temporal signal variances and vessel lengths. These methods for resolving motion artifacts contribute insights into studies quantifying the hemodynamics of the conjunctiva, as well as other tissues.

Antioxidative Effects of Chrysoeriol via Activation of the Nrf2 Signaling Pathway and Modulation of Mitochondrial Function.

Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell dysfunction caused by excessive oxidative damage is partly involved in age-related macular degeneration, which is among the leading causes of visual impairment in elderly people. Here, we investigated the protective role of chrysoeriol against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)-induced oxidative stress in RPE cells. The cellular viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, and mitochondrial function of retinal ARPE-19 cells were monitored under oxidative stress or pre-treatment with chrysoeriol. The expression levels of mitochondrial-related genes and associated transcription factors were assessed using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Moreover, the protein expression of antioxidant signal molecules was characterized by Western blot analysis. Chrysoeriol significantly increased cell viability, reduced ROS generation, and increased the occurrence of antioxidant molecules in H2O2-treated ARPE-19 cells. Additionally, mitochondrial dysfunction caused by H2O2-induced oxidative stress was also considerably diminished by chrysoeriol treatment, which reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and upregulated mitochondrial-associated genes and proteins. Chrysoeriol also markedly enhanced key transcription factors (Nrf2) and antioxidant-associated genes (particularly HO-1 and NQO-1). Therefore, our study confirms the protective effect of chrysoeriol against H2O2-induced oxidative stress in RPE cells, thus confirming that it may prevent mitochondrial dysfunction by upregulating antioxidant-related molecules.

Correlation between light absorbance and skin color using fabricated skin phantoms with different colors.

The objective of this study is to investigate the need for detailed classification of skin colors through the quantification of skin color and light absorbance differences. Skin color is one of the most important factors in dermatological laser treatments. Dermatological laser treatments are currently performed based on the experience and judgment of the doctor with the Fitzpatrick scale. However, the Fitzpatrick scale and the doctor's experience were not quantified assessment methods for skin color classification and laser parameters selection. Improper selection of laser irradiating parameters can lead to undesirable tissue effects and treatment outcomes. We analyzed the correlations between absorbance and quantified colors using skin phantoms to identify that using the Fitzpatrick scale in dermatological treatments have limitations. Absorbance differences for different skin colors are measured at 532 nm with a custom-built system for radiant power measurements using skin phantoms fabricated with nine different colors. Some correlations between the color and absorbance agree with the Fitzpatrick scale. Generally, absorbance for the bright colored phantoms is lower than that for the darker colored phantoms. However, some phantoms fabricated with bright colors exceptionally have higher absorbance than those with darker colors. This means that for conventional standards, the Fitzpatrick scale may not always be accurate at 532-nm lights. Through these experiments, we demonstrate the need for a reliable classification standard for skin colors based on quantification of the skin colors and absorbance differences for each skin color as an alternative to the Fitzpatrick scale, which has limitations at certain wavelengths.

UV Irradiation-Induced SERS Enhancement in Randomly Distributed Au Nanostructures.

Currently used platforms for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors generally employ metallic nanostructures for enrichment of the plasmonic hotspots in order to provide higher Raman signals, but this procedure is still considered challenging for analyte-surface affinity. This study reports a UV irradiation-induced SERS enhancement that amplifies the interactions between the analytes and metallic surfaces. The UV light can play critical roles in the surface cleaning to improve the SERS signal by removing the impurities from the surfaces and the formation of the negatively charged adsorbed oxygen species on the Au surfaces to enhance the analyte-surface affinity. To evaluate this scenario, we prepared randomly distributed Au nanostructures via thermal annealing with a sputtered Au thin film. The UV light of central wavelength 254 nm was then irradiated on the Au nanostructures for 60 min. The SERS efficiency of the Au nanostructures was subsequently evaluated using rhodamine 6G molecules as the representative Raman probe material. The Raman signal of the Au nanostructures after UV treatment was enhanced by up to approximately 68.7% compared to that of those that did not receive the UV treatment. We expect that the proposed method has the potential to be applied to SERS enhancement with various plasmonic platforms.

Observations of in vivo laser tissue ablation in animal models with different chromophores on the skin and modulating duration per laser exposure.

Characteristics such as skin tone and pigmentation color vary among patients, but most researches on laser irradiation in laser ablation have revolved around minimizing damage to reduce pain. Chromophores are the most important factors in photon energy absorption, a key principle of laser ablation. We investigated the influences on ablation depth by different chromophores on the target and modulating duration per laser exposure using an Nd:YVO4 nanosecond 532-nm laser. We used a Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (Fd-OCT) system combined with a 532-nm Nd:YVO4 laser to observe the ablation process. In addition, an external customized shutter and water-based color pens (red, green, blue, black) were used to determine the effects of modulating the duration per laser exposure and coloring chromophores on porcine skin and hairless mouse models. Experiments with modulating duration per laser exposure demonstrated that shorter duration generated shallower craters than longer one. Painted experimental group showed damaged region as craters in the experiments with coloring various chromophores. In this research, we investigated the effects of modulating duration per laser exposure and different chromophores on the target. Coloring chromophores with water-based dyes using pens increased tissue damage without dyeing cells or tissue.

Hydrophobic Paper-Based SERS Sensor Using Gold Nanoparticles Arranged on Graphene Oxide Flakes.

Paper-based surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensors have garnered much attention in the past decade owing to their ubiquity, ease of fabrication, and environmentally friendly substrate. The main drawbacks of a paper substrate for a SERS sensor are its high porosity, inherent hygroscopic nature, and hydrophilic surface property, which reduce the sensitivity and reproducibility of the SERS sensor. Here, we propose a simple, quick, convenient, and economical method for hydrophilic to hydrophobic surface modification of paper, while enhancing its mechanical and moisture-resistant properties. The hydrophobic paper (h-paper) was obtained by spin-coating diluted polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) solution onto the filter paper, resulting in h-paper with an increased contact angle of up to ≈130°. To complete the h-paper-based SERS substrate, gold nanoparticles arranged on graphene oxide (AuNPs@GO) were synthesized using UV photoreduction, followed by drop-casting of AuNPs@GO solution on the h-paper substrate. The enhancement of the SERS signal was then assessed by attaching a rhodamine 6G (R6G) molecule as a Raman probe material to the h-paper-based SERS substrate. The limit of detection was 10 nM with an R2 of 0.966. The presented SERS sensor was also tested to detect a thiram at the micromolar level. We expect that our proposed AuNPs@GO/h-paper-based SERS sensor could be applied to point-of-care diagnostics applications in daily life and in spacecraft.

Morphological evaluation for diagnosis of dry eye related to meibomian gland dysfunction.

The evaluation of morphological changes of the acini in the meibomian glands is important for the diagnosis and management of dry eye related to meibomian gland dysfunction. While several tools have been developed to detect meibomian gland structure, infrared imaging is generally used in clinical settings. Unlike the lipid component analysis of tear film in which quantitative analysis is possible, the meibomian glands are limited to qualitative analysis because of the low image quality of the diagnostic tools. This review describes diagnostic tools, especially in terms of morphological evaluation of the acini, which are visualized by the existence of lipid within them.

Optical imaging of the chorioretinal vasculature in the living human eye.

Detailed visualization of microvascular changes in the human retina is clinically limited by the capabilities of angiography imaging, a 2D fundus photograph that requires an intravenous injection of fluorescent dye. Whereas current angiography methods enable visualization of some retinal capillary detail, they do not adequately reveal the choriocapillaris or other microvascular features beneath the retina. We have developed a noninvasive microvascular imaging technique called phase-variance optical coherence tomography (pvOCT), which identifies vasculature three dimensionally through analysis of data acquired with OCT systems. The pvOCT imaging method is not only capable of generating capillary perfusion maps for the retina, but it can also use the 3D capabilities to segment the data in depth to isolate vasculature in different layers of the retina and choroid. This paper demonstrates some of the capabilities of pvOCT imaging of the anterior layers of choroidal vasculature of a healthy normal eye as well as of eyes with geographic atrophy (GA) secondary to age-related macular degeneration. The pvOCT data presented permit digital segmentation to produce 2D depth-resolved images of the retinal vasculature, the choriocapillaris, and the vessels in Sattler's and Haller's layers. Comparisons are presented between en face projections of pvOCT data within the superficial choroid and clinical angiography images for regions of GA. Abnormalities and vascular dropout observed within the choriocapillaris for pvOCT are compared with regional GA progression. The capability of pvOCT imaging of the microvasculature of the choriocapillaris and the anterior choroidal vasculature has the potential to become a unique tool to evaluate therapies and understand the underlying mechanisms of age-related macular degeneration progression.

Enhanced Tissue Ablation Efficiency with a Mid-Infrared Nonlinear Frequency Conversion Laser System and Tissue Interaction Monitoring Using Optical Coherence Tomography.

We report development of optical parametric oscillator (OPO)-based mid-infrared laser system that utilizes a periodically poled nonlinear crystal pumped by a near-infrared (NIR) laser. We obtained a mid-infrared average output of 8 W at an injection current of 20 A from a quasi-phase-matched OPO using an external cavity configuration. Laser tissue ablation efficiency is substantially affected by several parameters, including an optical fluence rate, wavelength of the laser source, and the optical properties of target tissue. Dimensions of wavelength and radiant exposure dependent tissue ablation are quantified using Fourier domain optical coherence tomography and the ablation efficiency was compared to a non-converted NIR laser system.

Phase-variance optical coherence tomography: a technique for noninvasive angiography.

PURPOSE: Phase-variance optical coherence tomography (PV-OCT) provides volumetric imaging of the retinal vasculature without the need for intravenous injection of a fluorophore. We compare images from PV-OCT and fluorescein angiography (FA) for normal individuals and patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy. DESIGN: This is an evaluation of a diagnostic technology. PARTICIPANTS: Four patients underwent comparative retinovascular imaging using FA and PV-OCT. Imaging was performed on 1 normal individual, 1 patient with dry AMD, 1 patient with exudative AMD, and 1 patient with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. METHODS: Fluorescein angiography imaging was performed using a Topcon Corp (Tokyo, Japan) (TRC-50IX) camera with a resolution of 1280 (H) × 1024 (V) pixels. The PV-OCT images were generated by software data processing of the entire cross-sectional image from consecutively acquired B-scans. Bulk axial motion was calculated and corrected for each transverse location, reducing the phase noise introduced from eye motion. Phase variance was calculated through the variance of the motion-corrected phase changes acquired within multiple B-scans at the same position. Repeating these calculations over the entire volumetric scan produced a 3-dimensional PV-OCT representation of the vasculature. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Feasibility of rendering retinal and choroidal microvasculature using PV-OCT was compared qualitatively with FA, the current gold standard for retinovascular imaging. RESULTS: Phase-variance OCT noninvasively rendered a 2-dimensional depth color-coded vasculature map of the retinal and choroidal vasculature. The choriocapillaris was imaged with better resolution of microvascular detail using PV-OCT. Areas of geographic atrophy and choroidal neovascularization imaged by FA were depicted by PV-OCT. Regions of capillary nonperfusion from diabetic retinopathy were shown by both imaging techniques; there was not complete correspondence between microaneurysms shown on FA and PV-OCT images. CONCLUSIONS: Phase-variance OCT yields high-resolution imaging of the retinal and choroidal microvasculature that compares favorably with FA.

Progress on Developing Adaptive Optics-Optical Coherence Tomography for In Vivo Retinal Imaging: Monitoring and Correction of Eye Motion Artifacts.

Recent progress in retinal image acquisition techniques, including optical coherence tomography (OCT) and scanning laser ophthalmoscopy (SLO), combined with improved performance of adaptive optics (AO) instrumentation, has resulted in improvement in the quality of in vivo images of cellular structures in the human retina. Here, we present a short review of progress on developing AO-OCT instruments. Despite significant progress in imaging speed and resolution, eye movements present during acquisition of a retinal image with OCT introduce motion artifacts into the image, complicating analysis and registration. This effect is especially pronounced in high-resolution datasets acquired with AO-OCT instruments. Several retinal tracking systems have been introduced to correct retinal motion during data acquisition. We present a method for correcting motion artifacts in AO-OCT volume data after acquisition using simultaneously captured adaptive optics-scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AO-SLO) images. We extract transverse eye motion data from the AO-SLO images, assign a motion adjustment vector to each AO-OCT A-scan, and re-sample from the scattered data back onto a regular grid. The corrected volume data improve the accuracy of quantitative analyses of microscopic structures.

Energy-efficient electronics with an air-friction-driven rotating gate transistor using tribotronics.

Concern for the environment is one of the main factors that are increasing the demand for compact and energy-efficient electronic devices. Recent research has made advances in reducing the power consumption of field-effect transistors, including the use of high-dielectric insulators, low-voltage operation, and selective power-conservation strategies. This paper introduces a revolutionary air-friction-driven rotating gate transistor that operates without the need for a conventional gate voltage. This new device offers the advantages of wear resistance, a slim and flexible design (achieved through low-temperature solution processing), and a simplified three-layer structure that streamlines manufacturing and reduces potential carbon emissions. This device's wear resistance and ease of fabrication render the device a promising technology with applications in various fields, including electronics, vehicles, aviation, and wearable devices. This study provides evidence of the device's feasibility for use in real-world vehicular scenarios, underscoring its potential for future innovation and widespread adoption.

Improving Photosensitivity and Transparency in Organic Phototransistor with Blending Insulating Polymers.

Organic phototransistors exhibit great promise for use in a wide range of technological applications due to their flexibility, low cost, and low-temperature processability. However, their low transparency due to visible light absorption has hindered their adoption in next-generation transparent electronics. For this reason, the present study sought to develop a highly sensitive organic phototransistor with greater transparency and significantly higher light sensitivity in the visible and UVA regions without deterioration in its electrical properties. An organic blended thin-film transistor (TFT) fabricated from the blend of an organic semiconductor and an insulating polymer demonstrated improved electrical properties in the dark and a higher current under light irradiation even though its transmittance was higher. The device exhibited a transmittance of 87.28% and a photosensitivity of 7049.96 in the visible light region that were 4.37% and 980 times higher than those of the single-semiconductor-based device. The carrier mobility of the device blended with the insulating polymer was improved and greatly amplified under light irradiation. It is believed that the insulating polymer facilitated the crystallization of the organic semiconductor, thus promoting the flow of photogenerated excitons and improving the photocurrent. Overall, the proposed TFT offers excellent low-temperature processability and has the potential to be employed in a range of transparent electronic applications.

Ishophloroglucin A Ameliorates VEGF-Induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition via VEGFR2 Pathway Inhibition in Microgravity-Stimulated Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells.

Microgravity stimulation is associated with retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells that transition to mesenchymal cells (EMT), and these pathological changes cause visual impairment. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is produced from the RPE and contributes to photoreceptor survival. However, changes in VEGF production and function under microgravity stimulation are unknown. In this study, we verified that microgravity stimulation changed the morphological characteristics of human RPE cells (ARPE19 cells) and the expression of actin cytoskeleton regulators, which are related to excessive VEGF expression. Interestingly, microgravity stimulation increased not only the production of VEGF but also the expression of EMT markers. Previously, we studied the potential of ishophloroglucin A (IPA), a phlorotannin, as an antioxidant. In silico results confirmed that IPA could structurally bind to VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2) among VEGFRs and inhibit the VEGF pathway. IPA significantly decreased VEGF production and EMT marker expression in microgravity-stimulated cells. It also significantly reduced excessive cell migration in VEGF-induced EMT. Overall, our findings suggested that IPA treatment decreased VEGF production and EMT marker expression in microgravity-stimulated or VEGF-treated ARPE19 cells, and this decrease in EMT could restore excessive cell migration by inhibiting the VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway. Therefore, it is a potential therapeutic candidate for angiogenesis-related eye diseases.

3D hotspot matrix of Au nanoparticles on Au island film with a spacer layer of dithiol molecules for highly sensitive surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

Engineering of efficient plasmonic hotspots has been receiving great attention to enhance the sensitivity of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). In the present study, we propose a highly sensitive SERS platform based on Au nanoparticles (AuNPs) on Au island film (AuIF) with a spacer layer of 1,4-benzenedimethanethiol (BDMT). The three-dimensional (3D) hotspot matrix has been rationally designed based on the idea of employing 3D hotspots with a vertical nanogap between AuIF and AuNPs after generating large area two-dimensional hotspots of AuIF. AuNPs@BDMT@AuIF are fabricated by functionalizing BDMT on AuIF and then immobilizing AuNPs. The SERS performance is investigated with Rhodamine 6G as a probe molecule and the determined enhancement factor is 1.3 × 105. The AuNPs@BDMT@AuIF are then employed to detect thiram, which is used as a fungicide, with a detection limit of 13 nM. Our proposed platform thus shows significant potential for use in highly sensitive SERS sensors.